mbarked, when a sloop
came in from Newfoundland, bringing letters which had been captured on
board a French ship. From these, it appeared that there were twenty-two
ships of the line, besides several frigates, in the harbour of
Louisbourg, and that 7000 troops were in garrison, in what was by far
the strongest fortress on the continent.

Success was now impossible, and the enterprise was abandoned. Loudon,
with his troops, sailed back to New York; and Admiral Holbourne, who
had been joined by four additional ships, sailed for Louisbourg, in
hopes that the French fleet would come out and fight him. He cruised
for some time off the port, but Lamotte, the French admiral, would not
come out.

In September, a tremendous gale burst upon the British fleet: one ship
was dashed on the rocks, a short distance from Louisbourg, and only a
sudden shift of the wind saved the rest from a total destruction. Nine
were dismasted, and others threw their cannon into the sea. Had Lamotte
sailed out on the following day, the English fleet was at his mercy.
Fortunately he did not do so, and Holbourne returned to England.

The French in Canada were aware that Loudon had gathered all his troops
at New York, and was preparing for an expedition, which was to be aided
by a fleet from England; but, thinking it probable that it was directed
against Quebec, the most vital point in Canada, since its occupation by
the English would entirely cut the colony off from France, Montcalm was
obliged to keep his forces in hand near that town, and was unable to
take advantage of the unprotected state in which Loudon had left the
frontier of the colonies.

As soon, however, as, by despatch received from France, and by the
statements of prisoners captured by the Indians on the frontier,
Montcalm learned that the expedition, which had just left New York, was
destined for Louisbourg, he was at liberty to utilize his army for the
invasion of the defenceless colonies, and he determined to commence the
campaign by the capture of Fort William Henry.

James Walsham, with his company of Royal Scouts, had spent the spring
at Fort William Henry. Loudon had, at first, sent an order for the
corps to be broken up, and the men to rejoin their respective
regiments, and to accompany them on the expedition; but the earnest
representations of Colonel Monro of the 35th Regiment, who was now in
command, of the total inadequacy of the garrison to defend itself,
should a serious